CapitaLand donates S$500,000 to develop cognitive and socio-emotional skills programme for children of offenders
Unveils new community initiatives at CapitaLand Digital Festival to inspire younger generation to look to the future
Singapore, 8 July 2017 – CapitaLand, through its philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation (CHF) is donating S$500,000 to the CapitaLand-CARE Network Children Support Programme, to develop the cognitive and socio-emotional skills of children of offenders1. Launched in partnership with the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Exoffenders (CARE) Network, this programme will support 100 children, aged between 3 and 12 years old, for over two years. The programme will include mentorship initiatives, bonding and enrichment activities, tuition and educational support, amongst others; and will involve a system-level intervention with participation of multiple agencies, including Singapore Prison Service, Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises, grassroots volunteers and other Voluntary Welfare Organisations.
Mr Lim Ming Yan, President & Group CEO of CapitaLand Limited and Director of CHF, said: “CapitaLand has always held the belief that corporates can play an important role in contributing towards the building of an inclusive and caring society. CapitaLand-CARE Network Children Support Programme comprises new and existing initiatives which will be more coordinated under a structured framework to better provide community resources for the children and families of offenders in Singapore. It will complement our suite of CHF programmes that empower children beneficiaries to create a brighter future for themselves and their families.”
In addition to the launch of the CapitaLand-CARE Network Children Support Programme today at the CapitaLand Digital Festival, CapitaLand also unveiled the CapitaLand Young Architect Programme (CLYAP). Funded by CHF and supported by the People’s Association, Community Development Councils (CDCs) and National University of Singapore (NUS), CLYAP seeks to expose youths to the wonders of architecture and inspire them to design sustainable solutions for community spaces in Singapore. About 80 secondary school students will be mentored by product and design experts from CapitaLand as well as NUS student volunteers. The participants’ ideas will be considered for implementation by the CDCs together with local community partners, in line with the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s efforts to empower the public to co-design community spaces in Singapore. CLYAP is under the CapitaLand-People’s Association Community Development Fund set up in November 2016.
Mr Lim added: “At CapitaLand Digital Festival this year, we are showcasing various emerging technologies that would complement or disrupt our real estate business. As part of CapitaLand’s commitment to building communities, we want to inspire the younger generation by giving them a peek into what the future holds – sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to join CapitaLand in challenging today’s norms so that together we can build exciting spaces of tomorrow.”
More than 4,000 CapitaLand staff and their family members, as well as over 300 children beneficiaries of CHF, visited today’s CapitaLand Digital Festival, held at The Star Vista. They enjoyed experiential zones featuring Internet-of-Things technology, robotics, smart office, virtual design and construction technologies, emotion analytics of shoppers as well as a series of educational talks that provide insights into the digital age. A group of aspiring architects from CLYAP had the opportunity this afternoon to bring their ideas to life by learning how to create a smart windmill model with micro:bit pocket-sized computers.
Please refer to the Annexes for more information on the CapitaLand-CARE Network Children Support Programme and CapitaLand Young Architect Programme.
These two new community programmes follow CapitaLand’s successful #ChiongForCharity campaign in June, which called the public to earn donations from CHF as they pay tribute to National Service as part of the Group’s 50 years of National Service (NS50) celebrations. CHF donated S$300,000 to benefit six children’s charities under President’s Challenge 2017 to mark the nation’s support for the campaign.
In 2016, CHF donated over S$2.4 million to benefit underprivileged children in Singapore and other countries where it operates, and contributed close to 20,000 hours of service to the community. In recognition of its strong commitment to helping underprivileged children and advocacy for volunteerism, CapitaLand has received the Community Spirit Excellence Award from the People’s Association for three consecutive years since 2015.
[1]: Offenders include those currently incarcerated as well as those who have been released from incarceration.